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Works well. Inexpensive.

++~++ CarPlan BlueStar De-icer ++~++

I bought this 600ml canister of de-icer from ASDA when it was on offer over a year ago. Prior to using this product, I had always thought that all de-icers were essentially the same. My previous experience had been with a de-icing product packaged in a plastic bottle.

I usually stay in accommodation located at my worksite, so thankfully I don't have a regular early morning commute. Therefore my need for de-icer tends to be in the evenings and nights after work, and on the weekends. This explains why I am still on the same can of de-icer as I was a year ago.

++~++ The product ++~++

This CarPlan BlueStar De-icer is manufactured by Tetrosyl. A quick internet search revealed that Tetrosyl is the largest manufacturer and supplier of car care products in the United Kingdom.

The pressurized cannister holds 600mls and is approximately 25 centimetres tall. The white plastic cap is easy to remove. The nozzle works well. It's powerful and releases a good amount of product.

Despite a little research, I am unsure as to what this de-icer's active ingredient is, nor does the product information on the can give any clues. We are informed that the canister contains less than 5% aliphatic hydrocarbons, and that it is flammable.

The manufacturers state that this product works to temperatures as low as -15 Celsius. I haven't knowingly used this de-icer at this temperature, only as low as -8.

++~++ My Experience and Opinion ++~++

This de-icer works very well. I simply agitate the canister several times, point the nozzle towards the windscreen and other windows and depress the nozzle. The ice usually vanishes very quickly.

Depending on the weather and just how cold it is, it is often necessary to reapply the de-icer. This is one of the reasons that I prefer this canister to other products - it's so easy reach out the window to spray the outside of the windscreen whilst I'm stationary in traffic. This product broadcasts well in this situation.

The only negative experience that I have had with this product relates to my own use without gloves. The can's cold metal really is very cold on my poor little hands. I find that I am unable to manipulate the nozzle very well if I am wearing gloves, so I really do have to apply this de-icer as quickly as possible to avoid frostbite (or at least the sensation of frostbite).

++~++ Recommended ++~++

I appreciate that this product is bound to be very bad for the environment (like cars are of course), but if you can put that thought aside then yes I certainly do recommend this de-icer and I will be buying again in the near future.

*** Pls ignore Dooyoo's forced ratings ***

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A good de-icer, and the trigger bottle is a great format.

My house is quite close to a brook, so the cold, damp air really gathers when winter is in full flight. Consequently, when the temperature drops, frosts are really common and very severe. Any frosty mornings when I've forgotten to put the car into the garage start with a fight to get into the car through the frozen doors followed by a lengthy defrosting process.

I stocked up on a few of these de-icer sprays by CarPlan in the trigger spray bottle format last year when I spotted them selling for around £1 each in B&M, which I thought was a great price. I really prefer a trigger version of de-icer because it means that I can operate it without taking my gloves off on freezing mornings. I always found that taking the caps off the aerosol versions was difficult anyway, but with gloves on it was impossible for me, as was pushing and holding down the nozzle to spray. The bottle is easy to hold, with moulded ridges for your fingers for added grip, and easy to reach the trigger even with smaller hands.

These trigger sprays have always worked perfectly for me. The end of the nozzle needs to be rotated to an "ON" position and then it's simply a pull on the plastic trigger to spray onto the screen and windows. I find that the spray doesn't cover a huge area, but being so easy to spray that's not a problem, just more sprays.

The effect of the spray is excellent on light frosts but is severely challenged when the ice is thicker. I normally find that when there's a hard frost I need to spray all over the windscreen, which will only immediately defrost small patches where the spray hits, then wait a few seconds (do the rest of the car windows) then return and spray again, which will do the job.

There isn't the same pungent chemical smell using the trigger gun as you get with some aerosols, which I could smell the spray even when I'd got inside the car. That said, I did once have one of these spray bottles leak - and I keep it in my car door pocket - and then it really did smell extremely strongly! It took weeks for the smell to go, but it was a substantial leak. For that reason, I always keep my spray in a plastic bag now, just in case, so unless you can guarantee keeping it upright in your car, that would be something I'd recommend.

The other major advantage that this trigger spray has over aerosols is that it's a clear bottle containing bright blue liquid so it's easy to see how much is left without relying on a shake of the can or waiting to find there is none left one freezing morning.

This is without doubt the best de-icer for me personally because I find it so easy to use with my gloves still on, it's available cheaply and most importantly it's quickly effective.

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Always handy to carry in the car for frosty starts,

With the winter frosts starting to set in it is time to dust off the winter car kit. In among the ice scrapers and cloths to wipe the foggy screen is this 600ml can of Carplan Blue Star De-Icer. In an unusual burst of seasonal aptness Morrisons currently have the 600ml can on sale at £2 and the 300ml can for a £1.

The can looks identical to the one pictured above so needs no description.

I find the large can quite awkward to hold on cold mornings as the can seems colder than anything else I touch. It is simply a case of giving the can a shake and then depressing the aerosol and giving the screen glass an even coat of this chemical smelling de-icer. The spray comes out quite smoothly with only the occasional splutter. As the spray hits the frost/ice it starts to cut through and clear the screen. Within a matter of seconds the screen clears enough to spray the windscreen with the screen wash and give the wipers a swish to clear the screen.

The smell of the de-icer does seem to invade the car slightly and the chemical smell stays with me on the start of my journey. I am not overly keen on using chemical de-icer as I feel it is not good for the paint work or rubber fixings on my car and will only use this de-icer when I am in a rush or the frost/ice is being particularly stubborn. I usually only buy one can of this a year.

Despite not being a fan of de-icer in general I am happy to give this product 4/5 stars, only deducting half a star for the can format that seems colder than anything else I touch and another half because the chemical smell can linger sometimes. All in all it is worth carrying a can in the car.

Thank you for reading.

(Not sure what the specific criteria is for but the can rolls well on wet, skiddy and dry terrain so I have marked it as excellent)

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An essential wintertime product for the driver.

It is surely a sign that winter is well and truly here when you wake up to see the car iced over as I did in the early hours of this morning. And its no fun when you absolutely have to travel and are running late anyway. You can't go anywhere with icy windows.

I was really glad that I had thought ahead this year and bought a couple of cans of Car Plan Blue Star De-icer from my local Wilkinsons store. A 600ml can costs around £1.95. From previous experience, I know that once the frosts start this stuff sells out quite quickly so I was feeling smug this morning as I aimed the nozzle at the car.

The product:

According to the Car Plan website Blue Star De-Icer is available in cans sizes 300ml and 600ml and also in trigger spray bottles 500ml and 750ml.

The can announces that the product melts ice fast and the spray operates in temperatures as low as -15 degrees.

An series of illustrations on the can shows you how to use the product. Basically, using the spray in a sweeping up and down motion, or zig-zagging across a large area; and then wiping away the excess.

There are various warnings on the can as it is a pressurised container and must be used with care. Protect from sunlight and high temperatures, do not pierce or burn even after use. Do not spray on a naked flame. Keep out of reach o f children. Use and store in a well ventilated area. No smoking. Do not breathe spray.

The product must be disposed of as special waste due to its contents. (I take products like this and partially used cans of paint etc. to my local refuse recycling plant - the guys and girls there know what to do with the stuff.)

Experience of the product:

The spray is relatively easy to use and I find gets rid of ice well. This mornings thin layer of ice was no bother for this product at all. I sprayed lightly over my windows and wiped away the excess with a soft cloth. The ice was gone. After returning to the house briefly to wash my hands as I'd managed to splash a little on my skin - I was away. The downside to this product is that it does have a very chemically smell - and despite my best efforts there always seems to be a lingering smell of this stuff when I first get into the car.

In the harshest weather, I've had to use a scraper as well as this product. If there's snow on the car, you have to sweep that off first and then I find that a combination of scraping and using this product has to be done to remove the very worst and thickest of ice. I find a moments patience pays dividends here; I spray the ice - wait a few seconds - then scrape off. Once the ice has melted you can help shift it by switching on the windscreen wipers.

I feel this is an essential product for the driver in winter. It is relatively cheap, does a decent job and helps me on my way far quicker (and in a better mood) than if I'd just tried to scrape at the ice.

A dooyoo star removed for the stinky smell of it - but otherwise would recommend.

(Had to fill in the quick rating section below for the screen to turn over - but I think it refers to tyres, so please ignore it)

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Recommended as an alternative to broken Master Cards.

So with absolutely no sign of spring 2013 approaching in the near future, there is a sudden need to get the winter gear out again and get up early to scrape ice off your car with a broken credit card. But to avoid an inevitable argument with MasterCard about the quality of their plastic and it's effectiveness at removing ice, you could always get this instead.

The smell given off by this is a very strong chemical sort of smell, it's a very sweet smell and gets right up your nose. Luckily you'd only use this outside so a well ventilated area obviously. I really wouldn't want to stick around with this in the air, it lingers and isn't nice stuff to breathe in.

This works on all car windows and has actually proven effective on my wing mirrors. This one bottle should last for 1 winter. It lasts me for about this, but depending on how bad the winter is, how many windows you have and if the British Weather decides to be a pain in the backside for an extended 4 weeks. Again.

For effectiveness this scores top marks from me. It clears within seconds and gets right down to deep ice when spraying even for just a brief period. The liquid isn't too thin either so it works on quite a large area of ice and burns through it with ease. Whilst it also works for frost, it's most effective for fresh ice. The morning after a bad spell of ice is the ideal situation to use this, especially hard ice which a credit card won't remove.

The bottle is rock solid and hard to damage through general use. You can dent it but just light knocks and dropping it on tarmac won't do much damage, if any. Mine hasn't cracked or split so obviously the canister is well built. The cap is just plastic but equally this hans't cracked either. You're more likely to loose it than break it. It does secure quite tightly though, so a little more effort is required to push it back on.

Overall this a great way to de-ice the car in the morning, it certainly beats a credit card. It does stink to high heaven but so long as you're not breathing it constantly you should be alright. It's very effective, especially on thick fresh ice, so a highly recommended de-icer.

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An average de-icer that I would use again if need be.

Regular readers of my reviews may have noticed that last year I started driving for the first time. I started driving in October last year meaning that I was driving on the roads when all the ice, snow and other Winter weather started up! When I passed my test and finally got my first car sorted out my lovely husband took me to Halfords and got me new windscreen wipers, a new stereo and made sure that I had oil, screenwash and all the other lovely expensive things you need to keep your car running. In addition to this I also got some de-icer a window scraper, a sponge and a special window cloth just in case I needed to clean my windscreen while on the move. Now initially I thought that those items would last me all Winter at least but within ten weeks I had run out of de-icer!

I actually picked up this de-icer in Poundworld near where I live and it was only £1.00 for a 600ml aerosol can. This is a bargain compared to what was paid previously, around £2.80, which is always good and it just shows that you really can shop around for almost anything and save money!

I would say that I have used this about 10 or 15 times over the last couple of months and it still feels like I have a generous amount left. I am normally in a rush when I am leaving to go out as I often run late for things so I prefer to use a de-icer rather than spend ages scraping my car windscreen.

This de-icer is stated as working at temperatures as low as -15C and so far I've been using it in temperatures of -4C and -5C at the coldest and it worked fantastically still. Using it is simple, I just spray it on to my windscreen and it gets to work in seconds. The lid is simple to remove and when I spray it there is a decent mist spread around my windscreen. I can comfortably spray even the centre of my windscreen when using this despite only being 5 foot 5. As soon as this de-icer is on my windscreen it gets to work and I can smell it regardless of how much of a cold I might have! This smell reminds me of window cleaner but stronger and it is a necessary evil for me as I'm always trying to rush! I often spray this on, get my engine running and start getting myself ready to leave. Providing the ice isn't very thick I am then able to turn my windscreen wipers on and the windscreen is wiped clean enabling me to set off for my journey without having to scrape my windscreen. I have found that if it has rained heavy or been foggy outside that I can be left with a thick layer of ice that sometimes needs me to spray de-icer and then do some work with my scraper also. Occasionally I can spray some more de-icer and wait longer but I find when it is really thick that it is usually just quicker to actually get out and scrape the car also rather than waiting ages. If I am not in a rush I don't mind waiting longer but it is annoying really. Obviously this is inconvenient for me and that is mainly why I am rating this de-icer 3 out of 5 stars.

Now overall I would say that this does work quite well. If there is a light covering of ice then this clears it quickly within just a moment or two, however I don't like having to wait ages and that is why I have given this a rating of 3/5. I would buy this again, as it is reasonably priced, and a little does go a long way. I like that this is blue so I know where I have sprayed it and on the days when the ice isn't too thick this works very well. I believe that there are better de-icing sprays out there but some of them are very expensive so when it is a toss up between price and convenience I would rather be slightly inconvenienced for much less money.

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A great, well priced de icer

I don't like to get caught out when it comes to de icer and as soon as a little frost strikes the supermarkets whip out their deicers at full price, knowing that we all need to defrost our car on those cold wintry mornings. I instead, like to stock up on de icer either before the real chill starts or when it is starting to get a little milder coming into the SPring, in preparation for the next year and I usually pick up a handful of these Carplan Blue deicer for £1 in Poundland, for a 600ml aerosol containers, which is exceptionally good value for the product in question.

This de icer does stand out on the shelf due to the blue/white colouring, which if I'm honest, looks a little on the tacky side, but I don't care as long as it works - which it does. On the front of the canister, it claims that it 'melts ice fast' but also that it 'operates down to - 15C'. Now, thankfully neither my husband nor I have ever had to use this in minus 15C temperatures, but there have been plenty of minus temperatures to still try it on.

It is easy to spray this canister on the frozen part of the car window, and once sprayed I get into the car and get the engine going to get the car warmed as well, with all the blowers at work, and within a short period of time, the combination has worked well to clear the windows. There have been plenty of times I have used this product on a cold winter night, coming out of the supermarket etc and being met with a frozen car window, and a little spray and a little engine heat, and the car is clear.

I have never had any problems with this spray. It doesn't smell terrific but I doubt there would be too many that do smell nice. At £1 this is a great value de icer that really does work at normal winter temperatures and using alongside a car that is warming up, it does work fast at defrosting the windscreen, and letting you get onto your journey, especially when you don't have a lot of time in the morning. I dont' see why you would pay more for a deicer when this one does everything you need at a very good price!

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Useful time saver. Toxic though, so be careful!

Cold as a Witch's bits===============

This morning was Thursday the 14th of March. Snow flurries are happening in parts of England and there's some fairly belligerent frost on my car. A less prepared me would be painstakingly scraping the frost from the glass, alternating between freezing hands before going on to do the Wife's car. By the time I would be setting off to work, my fingers would be painfully cold and I would be not in the best of moods to face the oncoming day.

But I've learned. I keep a glove in the car (the other one is lost) and a can of de-icer in the house, near the front door. This really is an invaluable invention. The only viable alternative would be careful application of warm water than may clear the windscreen, but might also crack it.

The 600ml can always needs a bit of a shake to wake it up (I know how it feels). You don't need to soak the treated surface, just a light dusting will do for all but the stubbornest of ice. The formula will take a few seconds to work properly.

More toxic than Britney================

Care should always be taken to avoid spraying into a wind, as the fluid is toxic and highly flammable. It should never be inhaled or gotten in the eyes. If you get some on your skin, wash with warm soapy water. The largest ingredient at 30% is Ethanol, the product acting largely as an antifreeze.

If you do use too much inadvertently, it can leave your windscreen with an oily appearance. Kitchen towel is ideal for removing quickly and cleanly. The scum can stick to the blade of your scraper, so watch out you don't end up with it on your clothes or car interior.

The can is quite cheap to pick up at around £4, and will last reasonably well. There is a smaller size which would be an easier fit for a boot or webbing compartment if you choose to take a can with you.

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Worth having for emergencies

During the coldest spell this winter, my husband and I tried to make sure we always had de-icer available to make those early morning scraping sessions a little easier. To be honest, if the ice isn't too thick, I prefer to use my scraper because it does a better job without causing my windscreen to mist up, but there are times the ice is too thick for my teeny muscles to cope with, and at times like these I'm grateful for products such as this.

This particular de-icer comes in a can and is an aerosol type dispenser, as opposed to a bottle with a trigger spray. Although this does allow a large area of the window to be covered, it also means the can is VERY cold to hold, even with gloves on. It's also quite bulky and awkward to hold with one hand, as it's wider than most aerosol cans, for example deodorants. The nozzle is also tiny, and quite high in relation to where your hand naturally rests, so it's usually a two handed job to hold the can and dispense the de-icer. Of course, the other issue with the packaging is that you can only tell when you're running low by the weight, and when the aerosol starts to release air rather than de-icer, which means there is the potential of getting caught short.

In terms of effectiveness, however, this de-icer is one of my favourites, as it does seem to clear the windscreen and side windows with minimal effort. The ice melts really quickly and once it's started melting I use my wipers to help it along a bit. The only issue I have is that my windscreen tends to mist up after using this, which means I have to wait for it to clear before I can drive off. This is a bit annoying because the reason for using this over scraping is that it's supposed to save time. I'm not sure if it's a problem with my windscreen, however, because I find it does get quite a bit of condensation in cold weather.

I can't remember how much I paid for this particular de-icer, but as it is a large 600ml can it does last a bit longer than some I have tried. It currently retails at £2.89 in Homebase, although you can pick it up for around £2 from supermarkets and discount stores. It's well worth having for those days you'r e in a hurry, or the ice is really thick.

(Review may also appear on Ciao under the username Gingerkitty)

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Will be buying something else next time

Since I passed my driving test 3 years ago, driving in the snow and ice has been my worst nightmare!! I work very early in the morning and since I love my bed too much, I'm usually running late, so I like to have a de-icer which works quickly and effectively. I bought this particular de-icer from ASDA as it was on offer at 2 cans for £2 (or £1.49 each). Living in Scotland, it didn't take me long until I needed to use it and I have to say I was sorely disappointed. It comes in the form of a spray-can, like they sprays which spray deodorant, but all I got was a thin line of liquid spraying out while I froze my fingers off holding on to the freezing metal tin. I continued to use it, since I had bought it and didn't want to waste it, and since it does work, but all in all it would be so much better if the spray system actually worked and would spray an even coat over the windscreen. Once I had finished that can, I discovered that the other tin was disappointingly exactly the same. There are not many other options for sale in ASDA, but I have seen an option in Tesco which looks like it would overcome all of the design flaws of the Car Plan de-icer - it is in a plastic bottle which avoids the frozen finger problem, and it has a trigger gun spray system which looks like a more effective method of delivery... I think I will be buying that when this tin runs out!

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A winter must have

I really hate having to de-ice the car on a morning and am actually pretty lucky in that our cars are parked between 2 houses so are pretty protected meaning we don't have to do this horrid job too often however I work until 10pm some nights and have to de-ice the car when I come out of work on cold nights so carry a can of this de-icer in my car.

The de-icer is created by car plan and I bought it from Asda, it costs £1.50 per tin which holds 600mls but I stocked up on them when they were on a 2 for £2 offer towards the end of last year making it much better value.

The product comes in a metal tin which actually means when you are squirting the product the tin gets cold and it makes your hands even colder than the winter conditions already are. The tin has a push on plastic lid which to be honest I never put back on as once your hands are freezing cold from using the product it is actually quite hard to do so.

The product is pretty easy to use by simply pressing down on the aerosol top on the tin although as your hands begin to numb with cold it can be harder to keep it pressed down. The tin sprays out really well and I have found the best way to use it is to spray continuously whilst moving my arms up and down and walking around the car to get a good covering on all the windows.

When I de-ice my car I tend to start the engine and gets the blowers going on full of course locking the car with my spare key and then spray the windows with de-icer, the 2 together de-ices the car in no time at all and when I haven't been able to start the engine the de-icer works well on its own too. I find with some de-icers that I have used as quick as you de-ice the window it refreezes but this isn't the case with this one and it manages to hold off any further ice formation long enough for me to get away on my journey.

I find that this is a really great product, not the most comfortable to use due to the coldness but it clears the windows really well and doesn't leave them smeared with slush either which is great and allows you to get away on your journey quickly. Well worth the money paid and certainly recommended.

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An average de-icer which is cheap and somewhat effective

With the cold weather now firmly here we have I guess been quite lucky so far on the Lincolnshire/Cambridgeshire boarders as we have managed to miss out on the heavy flooding but we have had a few cold spells, cold enough to freeze and when they do, they really do freeze! I always have an anti-freeze screen wash in my car but at times there is some times a need for a quick fix in getting the ice off your windscreen.

My father in law will regularly stock up on a de-icer spray and when we visit I generally end up coming back with a few cans ready for the cold season. A few months ago as scheduled I received several cans of Car Plan Blue Star De Icer. I have seen this particular brand and can in Poundland and Homebase before and knew it was around the £1 - £2 mark.

== The De Icer ==

Car Plan Blue Star De Icer is just a generic de-icer which has a powerful formula able to defrost windscreens at temperatures as low as -15C. The formula is not just powerful but it is also fast acting and will leave you with a completely clear windscreen for "increased visibility". It can be used on all car models.

== Packaging ==

It comes in a tall, cylindrical canister which is white and blue in colour with a white plastic snap on top. It currently only comes in a 600ml size. The front of the canister features the product name together with brand logo. On the back there is information about the de-icer as well as how to use it, warnings, ingredients as well as contact information for Car Plan.

== In Use ==

On the occasions I have used it I have generally been in a bit of a rush and find that de-icers are generally the best item to use. Car Plan Blue Star De Icer simply needs it's top taking off and you just spray where you need the de-icer to go. Now, I have had two canisters so far and one had a decent spray which comes out in a fine spray and covers a greater area yet the other canister has had quite a foamy spray which almost dribbles out of the can.

Regardless of this slight issue the results are exactly the same. As soon as the de-icer touches the ice you can quickly see it starting to melt. The de-icer itself is blue in colour and has that very typical de-icer smell which I find perfectly tolerable and it isn't overly strong.

One problem I have found was that the de-icer doesn't work on all icy windscreens. Thin ice coverings are absolutely fine and the de-icer has no problems melting it down and it can be easily removed with the windscreen wipers or an ice scraper. But on thicker ice if overly frozen the de-icer does struggle and it can take a bit more time for it to penetrate the ice for it to be easily removed.

== Overall ==

I find that this de-icer generally does the job for me but only if it has a light covering of ice as I only tend to use it if my windscreen has frozen by the time I leave the office or leaving the yard as it doesn't do the best job with thicker ice. But for the fact that it was free I am not going to snub it as I would probably buy it again as it is so easy to use and a little does seem to go quite a way. Therefore, I can give it 4 stars and recommend it.

== Product Information ==

Brand: Car PlanSize: 600mlPrice: £1.59 (Robert Dyas Jan 2013)

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reasonable de-icer that only costs 99p

I hate the cold, and I hate the blistery nights, and getting down to my car in the morning, running late for work to find the windows all covered in ice. Standing there with a scraper is not the best way to start the morning headache of dropping my daughter to nursery, then driving to work, so buying some de-icer seemed the most effective solution to me standing out in the cold for 10 minutes to get rid of the ice before I can drive off!

I spotted this Bluestar de-Icer in my local huge 99p store and instantly thought it would be my life saver! It comes in a large 600ml can and is rather awkward to hold, especially with gloves on as the nozzle is really blooming tiny. It's quite hard to grip the can effectively and also means I still spend a while fiddling to press down for the de-icer to come out!

One of the annoying things about this de-icer is that I leave it in my car overnight, so where it's cold outside, the can also gets cold and becomes absolutely FREEZING. As in it feels like I'm holding a block of ice kinda cold! So I try to use it as quick as possible, especially as I can't grip it with my gloves on and using it barehanded is like a form of torture.

Using the de-icer is simple, and it is meant to spray out a lovely amount of liquid which surely transfers onto the screen/window and defrosts the ice relatively quickly. Now, for some reason I find this worked perfectly in the beginning, and it came out properly but now (I have had this can since about winter 2011 actually lol) it just comes out in a drizzle and I have to hold the can practically upside down and close to the screen to get the product on the ice. This is nothing to do with me being frugal as when I shake the can, I can tell theres loads in there and it starts off spraying properly but then gets lazy and just reduces to little pathetic squirts lol. So this is also annoying!

The De-icer itself is actually effective, and for us Londoners weather, it has worked well to defrost the ice, the only problem is the ice then turns to slush and this makes my windscreen smudgy and slimy. I then have to sit in my car with the heating and the fan on to help reduce the fog. Grr. My ideal method of ice removal is the scraper as it does a clean sweep, but it also takes ages and I'm lazy so really this is the slob option lol.

Overall for 99p this de-icer is pretty decent, and I have had this one can about 13 months now! It was better when I first bought it, and does remove ice so it is a bargain buy, but maybe don't leave it in the car overnight and use it as your hands will get so cold it will stick to the can, and if you're on a budget like me you can keep it for some time and just use some silly methods to spray it out properly and help de-ice your car!

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Reassuringly returns to me every Christmas

Bluestar de-Icer is one of those products I always have lots of thanks to my Mum (or Father Christmas) as it seems to appear as if by magic in family Christmas stockings without fail.

Perhaps it's a mothers instinct to protect, perhaps it is because you are guaranteed a decent quality de-icer during the tricky winter months for a pound, either way by default this is my de-icer of choice and I wouldn't really change it despite a few niggles as I think it does a pretty good job.

The tin suggests this can de-ice to a temperature of -15c, which is a fairly meaty claim, so far I think the hardest experience i've had is about -5c. Being honest this is an emergency measure rather than my first choice when clearing an icy windscreen. My first option if available is always tepid water from a tap or the kettle, obviously if out the de-icer then becomes my main weapon in the fight against icy windscreens and for the most part does a good job.

The can is large at 600ml and my partner does find it is a bit too large for her smaller hands, but the capacity is necessary due to the need sometimes to really spray heavily to alleviate screen ice. The spray nozzle is tiny and is my biggest bugbear with this, I want a large nozzle that really sprays out lots of de-icer whereas this has a tiny nozzle which doesn't feel very strong and doesn't spray as much as i'd like. It is like a 7ft man having a tiny button nose, just not right.

The size of the nozzle is my biggest problem with the de-icer, once sprayed it works well on ice and with the use of a windscreen wiper or a mitt if left for 40-50 seconds it helps loosen the ice to make it easier to remove from the car. The key is to use this with other things like tepid water if possible as the de-icer does ensure ice doesn't return to the car immediately, but in extremis if leaving friends homes, supermarkets etc, it does a decent job eliminating ice from screens if given time.

The spray has a christmassy look for me, mainly because it reminds me of almost every Christmas day for the last 20 years and the weeks following it when the spray generally gets most use, it has a white top, Carplan logo in red then a blue feature with some loopy looking snowflakes on it. It is fairly standard and definitely isn't anything special, but this bland item always feels quite reassuring for me and is probably why I haven't switched to something more modern.

I probably buy about two tins a year due to my Christmas gifts and a can probably lasts 1 month in winter and the whole of the summer without problems, I last bought a tin from costco with 600ml costing me £1.39, my mum swears she gets them in the local pound shop, although I can't corroborate this, but even for £1.39 this is good value and a decent product which would get a higher score if it weren't for the frustrating tiny little nozzle spray.

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Left me (and my car) cold

De-Icer is an absolute essential for any car driver, you know winter is here when you're spending every morning defrosting your car before you can go to work! I picked this can if De-Icer up from Morrisons last year, I don't remember the exact price but it was cheaper than most others at the time, which is perhaps why I haven't been very impressed with it.

The can and the mechanism are pretty standard for de-icers, its an aerosol that you spray onto your car windows to supposedly melt the ice that freezes on them overnight. This de-icer has been a big disappointment though compared to others I've had in the past, own brand de-icers have been better and that's what I'll be going back to when this runs out.

The spray is a bit weedy and weak, it feels like the spray is too fine, too misty and disperses too far rather than really attacking the ice with a bit of gusto, you have to spray loads and spray it really close to the glass for it to have any major effect. It doesn't seem to cut through the ice as effectively as other sprays either, even when you've used a lot you still have to rely on windscreen wipers before you can set off.

I've actually found myself using an old fashioned ice scraper more than the spray this year, the benefit to that is that your hands don't get freezing cold while you de-ice. For some reason de-icer cans always make the hand using them painfully cold, especially the finger you use for the aerosol trigger button.

Having this can in the car in case of emergency is better than nothing, but its not the best option out there and I won't be buying it again.